Joseph Roberts

ROBERTS LAUDS INCLUSION OF AUTISM, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COVERAGE IN SENATE COMMITTEE VERSION OF HEALTH REFORM BILL

Praises U.S. Sen. Menendez for Key Progress

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. on Monday said he was thrilled the Senate Finance Committee has included vital coverage for autism and behavioral health treatments in the latest version of the health insurance reform bill.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski received the endorsement of his home county delegation in his bid to become Assembly Speaker. Six Democrats live in Middlesex, and another legislator from Somerset says he'll also back the Sayreville Democrat.

The Middlesex County Democratic State Assembly delegation will back John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) for Assembly Speaker, potentially giving him an early lead in the race to succeed Joseph Roberts.  Joseph Spicuzzo, the Democratic County Chairman, announced the unanimous support of the delegation in a press release issued this evening.

In January, New Jersey will need a new Assembly Speaker who will represent the middle class, the middle ground, as well as the middle of our state," Spicuzzo said.  "No one will do a better job of bringing people together for the good of New Jersey than Middlesex County's own Assemblyman John Wisniewski.

Roberts recently announced that he will not seek re-election to the Legislature, where he has served since 1987.  Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) has said she will seek the post, and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, is considered a leading candidate for Speaker. 

The Middlesex base could bring Wisniewski as many as ten votes in his leadership bid, depending upon the outcome of the general election.

Three Democrats who live in Middlesex are likely to win re-election to the Assembly in November: Peter Barnes (D-Edison), Patrick Diegnan (D-South Plainfield), and Joseph Egan (D-New Brunswick).  Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) is favored to win re-election, as are Wisniewski and his running mate, former Judge Craig Coughlin in the 19th district.

Another legislator, Upendra Chivukula (D-Franklin), was included in Spicuzzo's release as endorsing Wisniewski.  Chivukula lives in Somerset County but represents a largely Middlesex district. 

Three other legislators, Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), Gerald Green (D-Plainfield), and Linda Stender (D-Fanwood), represent districts that include parts of Middlesex County.  They were not included in Spicuzzo's statement, which specifically said that "Middlesex County's Democratic delegation to the State Assembly unanimously supports John Wisniewski."

The uptick in the state’s unemployment rate from 9.3% to 9.7% in August -- matching the national rate – became further fodder for Republicans to use against Gov. Corzine today, although Democrats countered the criticism by pointing to private sector job growth.

Republican State Chairman Jay Webber (R-Morris Plains), an assemblyman, pinned the blame squarely on the Govenror, saying he “tries to shift the blame for his failures onto anyone but himself.”

“Governor Corzine needs to take responsibility for the highest unemployment in 32 years, and the pain he has caused millions of New Jerseyans,” he said.

New Jersey added 2,900 private sector jobs in August and lost 2,100 from the public sector, the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) reported today.  But the LWD cut its private sector job growth estimates from July in half, showing a gain of 5,600 rather than the originally touted 13,000.  Webber seized on that, calling the original estimate a “complete fabrication.” 

ROBERTS ANNOUNCES DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY
CAMPAIGN STEERING COMMITTEE
Speaker Brings Together Party Leaders to Ensure Strong Future
For Assembly's Democratic Majority

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts today announced the formation of a steering committee of leading Assembly Democrats to help guide the final two months of this year's legislative campaigns and ensure the future of the chamber's Democratic majority.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) greets Newark South Ward Councilman Oscar James II at President Barack Obama's rally this summer.

Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts' retirement announcement means the north-south civil war just intensified, as veteran Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) looks to defend his chair at the head of the rostrum against Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford).
 
These two Democratic Party leaders come from different places, and not just geographically.
 
Ironworker Sweeney operates within the structure of the same South Jersey organization developed in part by Roberts and South Jersey Democratic Leader George Norcross III, which numbers 18 legislators strong. Roberts's departure at the end of the year places the burden on Sweeney - the next highest ranked South Jersey lawmaker - to wrest control of the upper house from the North Jersey-based Codey.
 
A insurance broker by trade with 35 years of legislative experience, Codey survives because of his ability to embody the solitary lawmaker who keeps his own counsel, who doesn't get bullied, and who relies on public appeal developed during his service as interim governor from 2004-2006 to counter the perception of statewide rule by machine politics.
 
If Sweeney's status as a dual office holder (he serves as freeholder director of Gloucester County in addition to senator) and machine product weaken his ability to stand convincingly on the Democratic Party's new era pedestal, Codey's image suffers as the former holder of multiple public sector insurance contracts, which made him a bundle of money during the course of his career in public service.

Assembly Human Services Committee chair Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) is mulling a bid for Assembly Speaker

Look for a fourth candidate in the race for Assembly Speaker: Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has spent the last two days testing the waters to seek the post.  Oliver is the Assistant Essex County Administrator, which means strong ties to County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato.  Essex County has the state's largest Assembly delegation - nine votes.

Oliver would become the second African American woman to run for Speaker, joining Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).  Watson Coleman said on Wednesday that she would run.  Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) are also looking at the race.

Oliver's chances of becoming Speaker could be boosted by a leadership change in the upper house, where Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) is considering a challenge to Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland).  It is unlikely that Essex Democrats would get both slots, and more likely that they would if the Senate Presidency goes to South Jersey.

The 57-year-old Oliver is seeking her fourth term in the State Assembly this year.  She represents District 34, which includes East Orange, Montclair and Clifton.  She is a former Essex County Freeholder and East Orange Board of Education President, and lost her bid for Mayor of East Orange in the 1997 Democratic primary by just 51 votes.  She is currently the Assembly Speaker Pro-Tempore and the Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

On an evening when heavy hearts filled the dugout, the Assembly Democrats' softball team rode a tidal wave of emotion in routing the Senate Democrats 21-10 in the first round of the Golden Dome League playoffs.

The victory was sweet revenge to an Assembly team that suffered defeat at the hands of their rivals from the other chamber during the regular season. However, while the Assembly could view that loss as a temporary setback, the Senate's loss last night was permanent, signaling the end to their season.

"This team was able to step up when it mattered most to restore the Legislature's softball world to its rightful order," said Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts. "Just as in their day-to-day work, there is no quit in this team. This is a group that knows how to fight until the fight is done and that winners need to be magnanimous in victory. I am so proud of this team's class."

The win came less than 12-hours after Speaker Roberts, who was named honorary team captain before the game, announced he would not seek re-election November.

'We are determined to give the Speaker one last championship and tonight this team showed that it plays best when it plays from the heart,' said team coach Lauren Repole. 'From top to bottom our lineup came through at the plate and in the field. This team has tons of fight left and does not plan to rest on its laurels.'

Much like the voting in Chicago, the Assembly Democrats' scoring came early and often. The 'Killer Jims' -- Jim Jefferson and Jim Schultz -- underlined the consistent offensive attack with inside-the-park home runs. The Assembly's tenacious efforts were further evidenced when Jillian Dempsey hustled-out a routine grounder, fearlessly colliding with the first baseman and knocking the ball loose.

***MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE***

SPEAKER ROBERTS ANNOUNCES HE WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTION

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package on Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr.'s announcement that he won't be seeking re-election.

NEWARK - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez released the following statement on Speaker Robert’s decision not to run for re-election: